I’m Don Knagge.
I’m a Leadership Development & Agility Coach. I help Executives break through barriers to take your leadership and your company to the next level of success.
Now more than ever, you and your team are working in a rapidly evolving environment.
Recruiting talent is increasingly difficult, performance pressure is increasing, and staying relevant in this volatile market is becoming increasingly challenging. You may be finding that the leadership programs and principles that once worked, aren’t sufficient to help you overcome today’s challenges.
You have a burning desire to lead yourself and your team to the next level of success, but you’re stuck using yesterday’s playbook. You need a fresh perspective and customized program to make that breakthrough.
I understand the challenges of growth in the context of ever-changing business environments.
Over the last 30 years it seems like I’ve done it all. I’ve been a Leader, a Manager, an Executive, and a Business Owner, and now an International Coach Federation (ICF) Professional Certified Coach (PCC). I’ve learned that the only constant is change. Yes, change is inevitable, but now it is compounded by the fact that the pace of change is dramatically accelerating and what got you to your current level of success won’t get you to the next one.
As a leader it can be difficult to grow when you feel as if you have nowhere to turn for support. Often in this scenario we get stuck in our own head, just treading water. I have been there, done that, and cracked the code to getting unstuck.
Throughout my entire life, whether I was a Manager, Executive, or Entrepreneur, I have found that learning is the key to breaking through all of my inner barriers and external roadblocks. Whenever I get stuck, I get back into a learning mindset, move forward, discover new solutions, conquer my challenges and achieve my objectives.
It’s my love of learning and sharing that learning that led me to Coaching. I’m an Executive Coach to corporate leaders in organizations such as Lockheed Martin, Marriot International, CoreVest, George W. Bush Presidential Center, and Whittier Trust. When their Executives are in new leadership positions or in a new stage of growth, I help them level up their performance. We tap into the skills and agility they already have and capitalize on new learnings so they can get their teams to the next level – no matter what the world throws at them.
I’m a lifelong student of the art and science of business leadership and growth. I thrive on partnering with high-achieving professionals to break through their internal barriers and overcome external obstacles so they can reach their highest potential. I like to be a safe place for people because I know it can be lonely at the top.
When you work with me, you are going to scale to the next level, whether it’s your career, business or your personal life.
But the real value?
The real value is you’ll finally have someone to talk to who gets it and can coach and mentor you through all of the internal struggles that gets in your way. As a result,
– You will have the confidence and strategy to scale to the next level.
– You will master your ability to learn and grow.
– You will become empowered in your leadership.
– You will be technically competent AND emotionally courageous and agile.
– You will be in charge of your inner world, your emotions, and the mindset which leads to being in charge of the complex corporate world.
– You will be ready for any conflict or challenge that lies ahead.
If they can get to the next level and the level after that one (without the stress of the climb), so can you!
I began working with Don a little over one year ago. At the time I had had no prior experience with coaching and really was not sure what to expect. I decided to go in with an open mind and a commitment to show-up ready and authentically. I am extremely grateful that I did and for the work that Don and I completed together.
For me coaching has been a transformational process. My work with Don began with learning what coaching was and was not. I learned that a coach’s role is not to solve issues but to help develop awareness and tools. Don has helped me build a framework around who I am and how I show up.
Don’s coaching opened my eyes to new ways of interacting with those people around me. These tools and skills have improved the way in which I lead my team and interact with colleagues. But even more than that they have help me better understand who I am and what my “why” is. These are results that have benefited me is all areas of my life. I highly endorse Don as a coach and encourage anyone that is ready and willing to put in the work to take the next step. Coaching is a fantastic investment in yourself and can have a significant impact if you are open.
I first began working with Don in both a consulting and coaching capacity to create and implement a business strategy for my coaching practice. Don had his hands full with me, a newbie entrepreneur with very limited know-how and a surplus of fear, confusion, and doubt in my ability to bring my vision to fruition. After just a few short months, I have grown significantly in self-confidence, re-examined self-limiting perspectives, and gotten to the heart of core beliefs that have been holding me back. He has helped me to see the value in the work I do and to become more comfortable asking for what I and my services are worth. As a coach, Don is intuitive, curious, present, and invested. If you are looking for someone with serious business and consulting acumen and a wealth of resources at his disposal, Don is your man. If you are seeking an honest and direct coaching relationship in which you feel simultaneously challenged and championed, Don is your man. Don, both shows you the ropes and helps you find, believe in, and grow in your own power and natural talents and abilities. I am thoroughly enjoying my work with him, and I would (and do) highly recommend him to anyone ready to invest in themselves and the coaching process.
My work with Don has been the most impactful and meaningful personal development activity I have experienced in my career. Don assured me at the start of our term together that he would challenge me and get me out of my comfort zone… and he did time and again, all to my benefit. As Don reminded me during one of our sessions, where there is discomfort there is opportunity for growth. Absolutely. Having worked with Don, I now have a set of highly applicable and very accessible “tools” to apply across my life’s spectrum — career AND personal life, which is key. I look forward excitedly to apply my new learnings and witness the enhancements and greater depth of experiences to come. Stay curious my friends.
As a result of my 7 months of coaching with Don, I’ve experienced tremendous growth both personally and professionally.
I was able to reduce my stress, improve effectiveness at home and work and experience sustainable peace and joy each day.
I recommend Don without hesitation. I was fortunate to be introduced to Don at a time in my life and career where I was positioned for growth. I am certain that I’ve achieved things that I would not have otherwise achieved due to Don’s coaching. Don has helped me explore and refine my competencies in a couple of key areas. He asks me tough questions; he challenges my thinking and pushes me outside of my comfort zone. He encourages me, he celebrates successes with me, and is 100% invested in my growth and goals. What I appreciate most about Don is his commitment to and honor of the coaching process. He is skilled at letting me lead the discovery, and he knows just the right places to ask questions and push me. Anyone who is interested in the same type of work would benefit from having Don as their coach
I have always been a self-starter and have been in numerous leadership positions, but quite frankly, I never considered a coach. When I first was introduced to Don he was in a room of over 40 coaches, a friend of mine told me he was, hands down, the best in the room. Over a 30-minute lunch I was astounded at the insight he had of me just during our brief time together. Thinking I would be given some helpful pointers here and there, I signed up with him for coaching, but I never imagined that major transformation could take place in my life, thinking, and leadership. My two and a half years with Don has been nothing short of amazing. I am grateful every day for the insights and tools I now have, enabling me to grow in my relationships and leadership both at work and at home.
